Starting rod feed device



July 28, 1942. e. L. WALKER I STARTING ROD FEED DEVICE Filed May 4, 1939 1 627! ZNZljI/NTOR ATTORN Y torch by a pivot fastened to the Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 I 2,291,065

STARTING ROD FEED DEVICE George L. Walker, Jersey-City, N. J., assignmto Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York U I Application May 4, 1939, Serial No. 271,621

l Cl. 266-231 2 Claims.

This invention relates to starting rod feed de-' vices such as used with oxygen cutting torches to effect quicker starting when de-seaming, billet gouging, scarfing, flame machining, or performhm similar operations.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved starting rod feed device, and more especially to improve the feeddevice disclosed in my patent No. 2,158,489, dated May 16, 1939, reissued December 30, 1941, No. 21,991.

One feature of this invention relates to simplified link mechanism by which the feeding apparatus is actuated, and another feature relates to the structure for holding the starting rod against retrograde movement. The friction encountered in feeding the rod forward isreduced substantially. This has the advantage not only of making the.device easier to operate, but it greatly decreases the wear on the feeding apparatus and prolongs its service.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawin forming a part hereof i Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a cutting torch equipped with a starting rod feed device embodying this invention.

Fig. 2'is an enlarged sectional'view of a por- "tion of the feed device shown in Fig. l.

A torch H has a tip H! in which is a central cutting jet orifice l3 and a plurality of preheating jet orifices I4. The supply of oxygen to the central orifice is controlled by a quick-acting shut-off valve l6.' A spring I! urges'the valve 45 into closed position A handle or lever I8 is connected with the IQ that extends through one end of the lever and side of the torch. counterclockwise angular movement of the lever 18 causes it to displace a valve stem 2! and open the valve 46 against the pressure of the spring l1. i

The rod feed device 23 has a stem 24 that fits into a clamping member 25. The stem can be moved up and down in the clamping member 25 when the feed device must be adjusted for another lerrgth of tip. This same clamping member 25 that grips the stem 24 fits around the torch and grips the torch securely when clampings screws 26 are tight. Screws 21 at the lower end of the clamp 25 cause it to grip the stem 24.

A bifurcated link 30 is connected with-the housing of the feed device by a pin 3|. A rod 32 through a bifurcated bracket 20- 'of the link so. This rod 32 is apart of a composite tension member 34 by which the feed device is operated from an arm 36 attached to the lever l8 and forming with this lever a bell-crank.

The tension member 34 has a yoke 31 connected to the arm 36 by a pin 38 which can be inserted in diiferent holes 39 in the arm 36 to change the leverage of the arm and thereby change the stroke of the feed device. The yoke 31 is soldered to one end of a sleeve or tube 40, and there is'a coupling 4| soldered to the other end of the tube 40. v

A long screw 43 threads through the connector 4| and extends. into the tube 48. A connecting section 44 is integrally connected with the rod 32 and screw 43. A hexagonal portion of the connecting section 44 can be turned with a wrench to cause the long screw 43 to move further into or out of the sleeve 48. This adjustmentpermits the length of the tension member 34 to be changed through a wide range to accommodate the apparatus to torches of various lengths. On

extends loosely through a bushing 33 in one end a long torch most of the screw 43 is out of the tube 48 and on a short torch the screw 43 is screwed far into the tube 40 as shown in the drawing. The screw 43. can be locked in any adjusted position by a lock nut 45.

An end cap 46 fits over one end of the rod 32. A spring 41 within the-cap 46 is compressed between a bushing 43, that threads into the cap,

and a head 43 on the end of the rod 32. This spring urges the head on the end of the rod 32 against the end wall of the recess in cap 45. The

rod 32 slides freely in the bushing 48 as a hearing.

. A spring 50 is compressed between 'theend cap 46 and the bushing 33 in the end of link 30. This spring 50 normally holds the cap 46 in the forward position shown in the drawing, and restores the parts to starting position after each feeding operation.

A pivot 52 fastened to the end-cap 46 extends throughthe bifurcated upper end of a lever 53. that oscillates about a fulcrum bearing 54 supported by the housing of the feed device. The lower end of the lever 53 extends into alre'cess 55 in the top of a block 56 that slides back and forth in a tubular bearing 51 in the lower portion of the frame or housing of the feed device 23.

At the forward or rearward ends of the bearing 51 there are rod guides 68 and 59, respectively. A starting rod 6| extends through the rod guides 58 and 53 and through the block 56.

The starting rod 6! is enough smaller than the i it against and displace the valve stem 2i.

openings through the guides and block to slide freely.

A feeding pawl 83 is located in a transverse opening it in the reciprocating block I. The pawl 83 is of generally segmental contour but has a lug at its upper end that fits into a complementary recess verse opening 64. The total height of the pawl n is a little greater than the space above the rod 8| so that the pawl cannot move into contact with the back of the'opening N or into a position in which the bottom tip of the pawl can come into vertical alignment with the lug at the turn movement of the block It the pawl 3 slides freely on the rod II. The spring 66 is light and produces only very light friction of the pawl 53 on the rod. The block I. and pawl 63 comprise a rod-feeding clutch.

in the upper wall of the trans-' further and displaces the valve stem II to move the valve ll into open position and permit the flow of cutting ongen to the tip i2.

This final movement of the. lever it pulls' the tension member ll, but the lever it cannot rock any further because the block I!- is already against the forward rod guide it. The motion is taken up by moving the head 4! on the end of the stem 3' toward the bushing ll, against the pressure ofthe spring 4!. The connection bf the stem 82 and end cap I. is therefore a the rod move forward with the block. On rev A holding pawl 88, similar in construction to the feeding pawl ",is located in a transverse opening in the rearward rod guide I! and is held in contact with the rod 8| by a light spring 5!. This holding pawl 00 offers only a very light frietional resistance to rod I, but tends to dig into the rod and wedges or jams the rod against the wall of the guide 59 when the rod i l starts to move rearward. The guide 59 and pawl '8 are therefore a stationary or holding clutch for preventing retrograde movement of the rod.

The operation of the rod-feeding device is as follows? v When a cutting operation is to be started, the torch operator first moves the handle or lever it through a limited angle not sufiicien The initial movement of the lever it pulls the tension member II and rocks the lever B clockwise so that theblock It is tubular hearing I! and against the back. of the forwardrodguideilasalimitstop.

This forward movement of the block I. feeds the end of the rod forward under the tip I! where it 'is quickly heated by flames from the .preheating jet orifices. As soon as the forward endofthestartingrodisheatedtoakindling temperature, the operator moves the lever I.

to bring pushed forward in itsforward movement of the" between the cross lost-motion connection, and the spring 41 prevents the lost motion from being effective until after the starting rod has been moved forward. The spring I. urges the end cap 48 to the left in .Flg. 2 and thereby restores the reciprocating block it and the lever ll to their original positions whenever the lever is is released.

"Terms of orientation in the description and claims' are relative. The structure illustrated can be changed or modified, and some features of the invention can be used without others.

I claim: 1. The combination .in' a starting rod feeddevice having a reciprocating member that ad-' vances a feed rod during the forward strokes of said member, a handle. and a motion-transmitting linkage between the handle and said reciprocating member, a cross-piece outside of the linkage through which one link of said linkage extends, an enlarged end on that link, and a spring surrounding said link and compressed ieceand the enlarged end to urgethelinkageinadirectiontcmovethehandle and reciprocating member back to starting position after each feeding stroke. Y

, 2. Apparatus for feeding a starting rod into the flame of a gas cutting torch that has a valveoperating leverpsaid apparatus including in comrod-feeding clutch ,that moves forbination' a I i ward and rearward, means for causing the rodfeeding clutch to move the rod'during only the forward movement of the clutch, a linkage for transmitting motion to said rod-feeding clutch from the valve-operating'lever of the torch, a lost-motion connection in said linkage, a spring the clutch end of the linkage travel, and a restoring spring of the links of said linkage said lost-motion connec- 

